The Biggest Loser, Bubba Style

Hey guys!

I want to tell you about something really cool that is taking place right now! On Monday, January 5th, 2015 myself and another co-worker (who has also lost almost a hundred pounds) launched a department wide “Biggest Loser.” A total of 37 people turned out to commit to changing their lives by eating healthier and exercising. As of Monday, January 26th, 2015 those same people have shed a total of 140 pounds!!! I am so very proud of my co-worker’s first-steps!

A few months ago, I accepted a new position within my department and my new team threw myself and another new team member a “welcome to the team” party. Yes, there was fruit on that table, but there was also; cheesy-carb loaded breakfast casserole, deep-fried doughnuts, and starchy bagels. I thought to myself, “oh my heavens, I am either going to die in this office or everyone is going on a diet!”

The next week, the Biggest Loser Pilot was launched and even through the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons my team lost an approximate total of 50 lbs. I am so PROUD of those guys!

I could not be happier and blessed to work with such a phenomenal group of people. We are building an environment of health awareness in my workplace, where people are concerned about developing a lifestyle of healthy living and holistic wellness.

You can do the same in your own life! I would encourage you to join the “share the dream with me” initiative at sharethedreamwith.me. I love sharing weight-loss tips and ideas, but it would be far more beneficial for you to commit to your own weight-loss goals and then share that dream with me and others. And remember, be sure to check out my facebook, twitter, instagram, and youtube for more updates on my weight-loss journey.

I am absolutely convinced that 2015 will be the year we see a record number of people set-free from the bondage of unhealthy living. I cannot wait to see it unfold!

Joshua "Bubba" Wade

No Fluff. All Buff.

Fitness. Wellness. Lifestyle.

Big Goals for Bubba In 2015

Last year, I committed to making six measurable goals instead of making resolutions. That worked so well, I have decided to do it again. If you have been following my journey, then you have probably heard or read me say, “failing to plan, is planning to fail.”  I challenge you to plan for success in 2015 and to reach out and share those goals with me. My goals for 2015 are:

1. Lose another 60 lbs. by the end of July (taking me to my ultimate goal of losing 300lbs.).
2. Participate in my first 5k by May/June.
3. Begin regular swimming and biking as stage one training for marathon-prep 2016 by May.
4. Run/jog the Virginia 10-miler by October.
5. Be taken off all prescription medicines, except for one by October.
6. Skin augmentation surgery by December.
7. Continue to help others with starting their weight-loss journeys.

Now, let’s see review last year’s goals!

1. Get rid of another 132 lbs. (I got rid of 122 lbs.).
2. Be taken off all prescription medicines, except for one (off all Rx except two).
3. Participate in my first 5k (re-goaled for 2015).
4. Be able to bike from Langhorne Rd. to Percival’s Island on the Blackwater Creek Trail (unable to save enough funds to purchase a bike, but I average about 16 miles on a stationary bike per hour).
5. Participate in the Virginia 4-miler (DONE!!! See blog post from 10/10/2014).
6. Continue to help others with starting their weight-loss journeys (several dozen people committed to starting their own journeys and also re-goaled for 2015).

Please visit ShareTheDreamWith.Me to see my challenge for you in 2015, and respond to me if you accept the challenge. Looking forward to hearing from you and hearing what your goals and dreams are for 2015.

Joshua "Bubba" Wade

No Fluff. All Buff.

Fitness. Wellness. Lifestyle.

Season of Thanks

Fall is one of my favorite times of year; the smells, the colors, and most importantly the focus on being thankful for what we have. Often these smells and colors can lead people like me down a bad path of compromise during the holiday season. I encourage everyone to make healthy food and drink choices this week and holiday season we are entering. Thanksgiving is possibly the easiest holiday to navigate, because traditionally the foods we eat are full of antioxidants, root vegetables, and turkey. Just try to avoid the sugary, salty, and over processed foods and you’ll be great! YOU MUST HAVE A PLAN! (reference previous blog about planning for holiday eating)  Stay strong everyone!!!

As I reflect back over 2014 it has been a bittersweet year and I am thankful for it all! This year I have lost three good friends and my paternal grandfather to death with my maternal grandmother being hospitalized for almost the entire year as well. I have literally had to say goodbye to people that I thought were going to be lifelong friends or I have watched them simply walk away from our friendship. Also this year, I hit my 200 lbs weight-loss goal (currently down 240 lbs), rode my first rollercoaster, participated in a challenge to boost awareness for the ravenous Lou Gehrig’s Disease, made many new friends that love and support me, started a new job, and had many more blessings.

I am truly a man that has more blessings than I can count and completely humbled by the thought that these precious gifts have been entrusted to me and my care. However, I know that my smile and my happiness can easily be erased if I had not first wept and known the intense amounts of struggle and sadness intimately that are required to appreciate when you have something good.

I am thankful for my faith, family, and friends that help inspire me, encourage me, and love me regardless… and I am thankful for you too, I appreciate you coming along on this journey with me and sticking with me through the ups-and-downs.

Joshua "Bubba" Wade

No Fluff. All Buff.

Fitness. Wellness. Lifestyle.

I can’t believe I actually did it! This is a dream come true!

For the last few weeks I have been struggling to hit one of the most important milestones of my whole weight loss journey. Losing and gaining mere ounces dangling just at the cusp of something so desired has come close to driving me insane!

Last week, as I slithered towards the scale my heart hung lower than usual at the prospect of yet another few ounces gained or lost. But as I looked at the scale, I was completely shocked at what I saw. I thought to myself, this must be a dream!

I had lost 2 lbs. But much more significant than those two pounds, was the fact that this very moment, for the first time in as long as I can remember, I looked down and saw that the scale showed I was below 300 lbs! This was a surreal experience and a dream come true!

At that moment, all of the emotions of the last few weeks and the past decade came crashing over me like a tsunami. It was incredible to see two pounds shed. I am finally below what I weighed my senior year of high school. For the first time, the number staring back at me started with a 2 instead of a 3, 4, or even a 5! As difficult as the journey has been at times, this reward makes it so worth it!

As of the writing of this post I have lost a total of 240 lbs. in 67 weeks! Please continue to follow my journey by liking me on facebook, following me on twitter, and much more! Friends, I am not finished yet. This is only the beginning, lets do this!

Joshua "Bubba" Wade

No Fluff. All Buff.

Fitness. Wellness. Lifestyle.

The Secret Weapon of Weight Loss: How I Pulled it Off

One of the most important unseen aspects of my weight-loss journey has been the wonderful community support I have received. A few months ago, during the Extreme Makeover event at Crosswhite Fitness, I made the following statement, “If it were not for the motivation that I felt from people around me, supporting me, and encouraging me forward; those moments when I was left alone to make the decisions to get up early to do cardio before work or leave the dessert sitting on the table while instead picking-up an apple would not have rendered victorious results as consistently.” Being able to feel, rely on, and utilize the motivation from others truly keeps me going when I am experiencing a day where I literally want to throw in the towel. Yes, I said it! Even after having lost more than 230 pounds, I still have those days where forging forward seems too hard and stopping or turning around, only for a short while, seems like the best course of action. Don’t believe the lies we tell ourselves! Just when giving into my former cravings seems too unbearable to continue, I get that divinely-appointed call or text from a friend, family member, or my personal trainer that rekindles the flame of steadfastness and I am able to continue fighting the good fight. Friends, this journey is a race and I plan on finishing it strong!

If you are reading this and are an individual that has ever helped me stay the course by providing me with motivation, encouragement, and inspiration; I am eternally grateful for you and extend my thanks to you from the bottom of my heart. You have been instrumental in helping me continually transform my life for the better and healthier! Those of you who have stood with me during this journey have brightened my future and have given me hope. Your support will allow me to be an inspiration and impact the lives of so many people struggling to lose weight.

If you have not already, like or subscribe to Bubba’s Odyssey Facebook page, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube channel. There are now more ways to follow my journey… I hope you’ll come along!

As of the posting of this blog I have shed a grand total of 234 lbs. in 66 weeks! Thank you for your continued support and joining me on this extraordinary journey!

Joshua "Bubba" Wade

No Fluff. All Buff.

Fitness. Wellness. Lifestyle.

Bubba's Corner 1.0

Food Prep

One of the most frequently asked questions I have gotten throughout my weight-loss journey is, “Doesn’t it take forever to prepare enough healthy food every day to eat?” The short answer here is, NO! If I tried to prepare only enough food to take with me each day, I would constantly be grilling, roasting, cutting, and tupperware-ing for the next day. Who has time for all of that?! I sure don’t! Therefore, I have made Sundays my food preparation days – this is the time that I prepare all of the food I will eat that coming week and it takes a little more than an hour.

The key here is, creating an efficient system that allows you to flow quickly, but effectively through the baking, steaming, slicing and dicing, chopping, and packing, while becoming-one with your kitchen. (Imagine me saying that last phrase in a hushed, zen-like voice while pressing my thumbs and middle fingers together and sitting Indian-style.) Not only am I able to get everything prepped all at one time, but now, the rest of my week’s time is dedicated to what I love most – hitting the GYM!!!

Feel free to check out the recipes I have created that are sprinkled throughout the Bubba’s Odyssey blog, either for new takes on old favorites, or if you are finding it a bit difficult to eat healthy. I also have two unique blog posts; one is an excerpt from my food journal showing my daily eating habits and another showing the breakdown of my typical grocery list. Eating the Bubba Way saves both time and money – it’s a win-win!

As of the posting of this blog I have shed of a total of 220 lbs in  59 weeks, and I appreciate you for coming along on this journey with me! Be sure you're keeping up with the 30 Day Core Challenge. We are now on Day 10! Be on the lookout for a video of me killin' some crucifixes! Gotta love that core strength!!

PS: There are now more ways to follow my journey, so be sure to checkout the sidebar and like, share, follow, and subscribe!

Joshua "Bubba" Wade

No Fluff. All Buff.

Fitness. Wellness. Lifestyle

The HIIT 1.0

UPDATE 1.01

Hey, friends! Just wanted to check in on everyone. It’s day 4 of our challenge, and I am extremely excited about the response received in accepting the challenge. If you haven’t accepted the challenge, or don’t know what I’m talking about, check out the post below and get started! It’s not too late! 

I am so excited about the response, that I have decided that I will be posting a video every 5 days during the month of me doing a crucifix for every day that has past in the month thus far, and 10 regular sit-ups immediately following.

I have come to know, understand, and even feel the results of a strong core over the past several months. I can’t wait to hear back from everyone about their progress throughout the month!

Joshua "Bubba" Wade

No Fluff. All Buff.

Fitness. Wellness. Lifestyle

Down to the Core

Have you ever heard of the mystical muscle called the core? No, it has nothing to do with an apple or the center of the earth, however it’s quite important and everyone has one!

Recently, my personal trainer introduced me to a new exercise specifically for the core, called the crucifix. No, no, no… it has nothing to do with religion, but has everything to do with a love-hate relationship and a pain that hurts so good!

How It's Done:
Just like a majority of all crunch-oriented exercises – you start off flat on your back. Next you move into a bicycle-type position while at the same time crossing your left elbow over and touching your right knee. Then back down and alternate to your right elbow to left knee.

In case you didn’t know, having a strong core can have a positive effect on many things, such as your posture, balance, and lower back issues. A recent visit to my chiropractor, proved this very thing, I had “my best adjustment yet.”

The Challenge:
There are thirty days in September and this is day one, join me in a 30 Day Core Challenge. On day one, do one sit-up, and add a sit-up each day.
 (i.e. Sept. 1st – 1 sit-up. Sept. 2nd – 2 sit-ups. Increase by one sit-up each day until the end of the month. Sept.30th – 30 sit-ups)


So let’s get moving!



Joshua "Bubba" Wade
No Fluff. All Buff.
Fitness. Wellness. Lifestyle

The Earnest Challenge

In thirteen months I have roughly lost thirty inches off of my waist and am on the cusp of giving away my third wardrobe. Due to my drastic physical changes I have good friends walk right by me in the gym and old friends that I have not seen in a while do double-takes at the site of me. To say that I am in a constant state of “change” and “newness” is an understatement. With all of the change and new things around me, the question presented to me this weekend was, is it possible to lose yourself? I would argue that it is not possible to actually lose the essence of yourself, but it might be possible to occasionally re-focus on the non-permanent aspects of yourself and of life as one adapts to change.

I was challenged this weekend by a very dear and old friend of mine to take a moral-searching inventory of the changes I am making in my life to ensure that I am not jeopardizing the essence of myself. I desire to pass the same challenge along to each person reading this post and has begun their own journey of change into a healthier lifestyle. Another friend brought up an interesting point, having confronted so many of the figurative giants in my life, having fought them, and winning my fair share of battles places me in uncharted territory of knowing that discipline yields true results. However, the oh-so-sweet taste of victory and success may at times become intoxicating without keeping sight of our former humility. Never lose sight of that humility!

As of the posting of this blog, I have shed a total of 217 lbs in 58 weeks! Again, thank you so much for coming along on this journey with me and please do not forget to Like/Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter; at bubbasodyssey (links are in the sidebar).

Joshua "Bubba" Wade

No Fluff. All Buff.

Fitness. Wellness. Lifestyle

Overcoming Obstacles

I have written and re-written this blog post more times than I can count. It is ironic that probably one of the most needed posts to be written has become the hardest for me to pen, because it is about overcoming discouragement and because it is so very personal.

Throughout my odyssey in which I have endeavored to lose weight, there have been many ups and downs. Having never felt like this phrase accurately applied to anything else, I can truly say I have literally put “my blood, sweat, and tears” into this journey. Even though almost a year later I can look back over that span of time and see how great my sacrifices have been, they have all been very worth it. But the success I have achieved thus far does not exempt me from feeling discouraged and isolated.

Over the past year there have been times when I have cried tears of joy at hitting a goal and sobbed at the desire to be like a “normal-sized” person one day. I have bleed due to user error of gym equipment or scraping myself on a hike and bleed due to injuries sustained while striving to lose weight. The sweat has come the easiest of them all; I have sweated in the gym, at the park, on the side of a mountain, traversing down the walking trail, and while walking up to the scale every week.

It was all worth it!

Almost every week in the first nine months of my weight-loss journey I watched more pounds melt away each week, with the intent of never finding them again. However, around the ninth month something happened, something I had been warned would eventually happen, but it never seemed to come – but it did.

I reached my first weight-loss plateau.

For about four weeks I struggled to lose eight-tenths to four-tenths of a pound. With each passing week I felt the discouragement settle in and the feeling that I was all alone took root a little deeper, a little more each time. Having simmered in this discouragement for close to a month, I decided to finally seek the counsel of my personal trainer, revealing my thoughts of giving-up. He lovingly admonished and questioned me about not coming to him sooner, but he also helped put me at ease with myself. Not only did he kindle a recommitted spirit in me focused on the goals that I was determined to achieve, but he encouraged me to share my struggles with my closest support team members.

The following is an excerpt from an email from a friend which I received in response to sharing my struggles:

“The same Power that rolled away the stone, and left an empty tomb; the same Power that repeatedly performed and performs healing; the same Power that gave us this life to live on earth temporarily, is still at work today! Whenever I start to become discouraged, I start thinking about the fact that I not only have a friendship and relationship with the Savior of the world, but that I have given my life to Him. How could we worry? How could we be anxious? How could we be discouraged? He loves us, and gave up everything for us, and has promised us an eternally perfect plan and life with Him. When I feel my senses taking over, or feel my ship sinking, I remember that my Courage is not breakable, sinkable, or able to be overtaken. Worry and anxiety are down-payments on problems we may never have. Even when we do hit a plateau, we can remember that our feelings cannot forecast the future, only God's Spirit can. When we feel the ship may be going down, our Courage can always be up; the essence of faith! The bottom line for me is always: My faith in Jesus cannot live in the same heart with worry, anxiety, or discouragement. It just can't!”

We live in a world plagued with instability and ruled by forces beyond our control. At times it is difficult to remain positive and encouraged, especially when you originally had the illusion that you were in complete control of a specific situation. After reading my friend’s encouraging email, I could feel the chains of my discouragement and isolation breaking and falling off. These were the major lessons I learned: First, you cannot achieve anything on your own volition, especially while excluding God. Second, the feeling of isolation is merely an illusion and there are people willing to help you if they knew you were in need. Finally, hard work and perseverance always pay the highest dividends in the long run.

As of the posting of this blog, I have gotten rid of 195 lbs. in 50 weeks!

Food Breakdown

Along this journey, I have gotten a number of questions, but one in particular is consistently proposed. And it is, “Isn’t it expensive to eat healthy and do you think you will be able to afford that long-term?” To which I have typically explained that in my old lifestyle throughout the course of one weekend, defined as Friday night through Sunday night, I would spend approximately $70-80 feeding myself at Chinese buffets and all-you-can eat brunch cafes a year ago. I allowed myself to justify this expense because I thought I was getting the most “bang for my buck.” However, I now spend less than that on one week’s worth of groceries. Listed below is an example of my current daily diet and budget first, which is then compared to an example of my former daily diet and budget second. If you will notice, I save approximately $9/day on my new diet and I am eating a much higher quality of food. Therefore, I conclude that “yes” I will be able to afford to eat healthy long-term. The follow-up question then is, “Do you ever feel hungry?” I have rarely found myself hungry during this weight-loss journey and when I have, it is because of a failure to properly plan for a situation on my part. One of my biggest mottoes throughout this weight-loss journey has been; “failing to plan is planning to fail.” Forgetting to pack a snack or the appropriate amount of food for my day has led me to feel hunger a few times, but it has been rare. I try to never place myself in a situation where I am without a healthy food choice. Also, please find an example of one of my grocery lists below with the cost of the products listed as well.   

New Daily Food Budget

Breakfast: $4.00

Smoothie (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, 1 cup of water, and 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk)

Mid-morning Snack: $0.50

Individual bag of carrots

Lunch: $2.50

Salad (baked chicken, baby spinach, black pepper, olive oil, and ¼  lemon/lime squeezed; optional: nuts)

Mid-afternoon Snack: $1.50

One apple

Dinner: $3.00

One Grilled Chicken Breast

Steamed Broccoli (half a lemon squeezed and black pepper), Brussels sprouts, and Green Beans

Mid-evening Snack: $0.50

Handful of Almonds 

Total Food Cost for the Day: $12

Old Daily Food Budget

Old Breakfast: $4.89

Two Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuits with Jelly and Mayonnaise

Old Mid-morning Snack: $1.25

Popcorn (Buttered – Movie Theatre Style)

Old Lunch: $6.27

Two Slices of Pepperoni Pizza and Drink

Old Mid-afternoon Snack: $1.25

Pop-tarts (Frosted)

Old Dinner: $6.15

2 or 3 Pieces of Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes with Gravy, and a Biscuit

Old Mid-evening Snack: $1.19

Big Bowl of Ice-cream

Total Food Cost for the Day: $21

Grocery List:

Blueberries: $4.99 x 4

Raspberries: $3.49 x 4

Strawberries: $3.99 x 4

Unsweetened Almond Milk: $2.49 x 2

Individually Wrapped Carrots: $1.79 x 2

Tray of Chicken Breasts: $11.47 x 4

Box of Baby Spinach: $4.49 x 2

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: $2.33 x 1

Lemon: $0.59 x 2

Lime: $0.39 x 2 

Apple: $1.19 x 10

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and Green Beans: $1.00 x 10

Unsalted and Raw Almonds: $5.99 x 1

Total Grocery List Cost: $137.16 (for two weeks’ worth of groceries)

As of the posting of this blog I have gotten rid of a total 168 pounds in 41 weeks.

Disclaimer: I primarily shop for groceries at Kroger which may not exist in your area or due to the cost of living in your area items may be less expensive where I live. Also, I do not often deviate from this diet or grocery list but I get a wild hair from time-to-time hence the week of recipes I recently put posted, but this is my typical diet and budget.

Korma Vegetable and Chicken

Korma Vegetable and Chicken (for the Crockpot)

Ingredients:

28oz unsweetened coconut milk (or almond)

6-7 Roma tomatoes pureed (28oz)

1 Heaping tablespoon minced garlic

2 Teaspoon minced ginger

2 Heaping tablespoon yellow curry powder

2 Teaspoon cumin

2 Teaspoon coriander

1 Teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Cup chicken broth

1/2 Cauliflower head, broken into pieces

4 Carrots, peeled and chopped

2 Cups frozen peas

1 Cup frozen green beans

1 Red and 1 green bell pepper, chopped and cubed

1/2 Large onion, diced into large chunks

2 Baked Chicken Breasts, cubed

1 Bunch cilantro

1 Teaspoon garam marsala (optional)

½ cup raw unsalted cashews (optional)

Directions:

• Add to the crock pot the following ingredients: coconut milk, tomatoes, cashews, garlic, ginger, curry powder, garam marsala, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, olive oil, and chicken broth.
• Mix these ingredients with an immersion hand blender until smooth or very thoroughly with a spoon.
• Add in the rest of the ingredients (except the cilantro) and mix them into the sauce with a spoon.
• Place the cilantro in a bunch on top of the other ingredients (do not mix in).
• Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 5 hours.
• Discard the cilantro

Salads

Apple and Berry-Spinach Salad:

Large Handful of Spinach

1 Apple cubed

3-4 sliced strawberries (or a handful of blueberries)

Chopped raw (no salt) walnuts and/or pecans

2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil

Half squeezed lime/lemon

Black Pepper

Chicken-Spinach Salad:

Large Handful of Spinach

1 baked/grilled chicken breast

Chopped raw (no salt) almonds

2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil

Half squeezed lime/lemon

Black Pepper

Tuna-Spinach Salad:

Large Handful of Spinach

1 can of drained tuna

Chopped raw (no salt) almonds

2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil

Half squeezed lime/lemon

Black Pepper

Salmon-Spinach Salad:

Large Handful of Spinach

1 baked/grilled salmon

Chopped raw (no salt) almonds

2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil

Half squeezed lime/lemon

Black Pepper